Macedonia Votes Amid Gunfire and Alleged Fraud

马其顿今议会选举被暴力蒙上阴影

　



Officials in the Republic of Macedonia say they will repeat voting in 22 precincts that were shut down during Sunday's parliamentary election because of a deadly shootout, reports of intimidation, and alleged fraud. Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski is claiming victory, saying his conservative party (VMRO-DPMNE) will control more than half of the seats in the 120-seat parliament.

　

马其顿共和国的选民为议会选举前往投票站投票，投票期间马其顿民族关系紧张并发生枪击事件，至少有1人死亡，另外有好几个人受伤。暴力和投票舞弊指称迫使选举官员暂时关闭了至少17个投票站。

Macedonian voters tried to cast ballots in the early parliamentary elections, despite gunfire and election irregularities, which led to the closure of nearly 20 polling stations.

　

尽管发生枪击和选举舞弊的指称，并且因此导致近20个投票站关闭，马其顿选民仍然争取为议会选举进行投票。

Election officials said two separate shootings occurred in the village of Aracinovo, near the capital, Skopje.

　

选举官员说，在首都斯科普里附近的阿拉西诺沃村发生了两起枪击事件。

Villagers reported the troubles began when someone tried to vote on behalf of multiple people for a party of the country's ethnic-Albanian minority. He and another party supporter were injured during a shootout with special police, and one apparently died of his injuries.

　

村民们报告说，当某人试图代表一组人投票支持该国的阿尔巴尼亚少数民族政党时发生枪击。在跟特种警察交火时，这个人与另外一名该党的支持者受伤，另外一人显然因为伤势过重死亡。

The shooting raised fears of a new wider ethnic conflict in the area.

　

人们担忧，枪击事件有可能在该地区引发新一轮更广泛的民族冲突。

Aracinovo is in a region where insurgents fought Macedonian government forces in 2001 to win more rights for ethnic Albanians, who comprise about a quarter of Macedonia's two million people.

　

反叛分子为争取阿尔巴尼亚少数族裔的更多权益自2001年在阿拉西诺沃村地区跟马其顿政府军作战。在马其顿2百万人口当中，阿尔巴尼亚族占四分之一。

There were also shootings and gunmen reported elsewhere in ethnic-Albanian areas, including near the headquarters of the Democratic Union for Integration party.

　

在阿族居住的其他地区也出现枪击和武装分子的报导，其中包括靠近融合民主联盟总部的地方。

The election tensions follow a bitter campaign and allegations of assassination attempts against ethnic-Albanian opposition leaders.

　

选举紧张局势出现之前马其顿的竞选活动曾经相当激烈，还出现有人企图刺杀阿族反对派领导人的指称。

Despite the troubles, the conservative party (VMRO-DPMNE) of the pro-Western Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski is expected to win the ballot.

　

虽然出现种种障碍，但人们预计保守派政党领导人、亲西方的总理格鲁埃夫斯基将赢得议会选举的胜利。

In televised comments, he urged supporters not to be intimidated by violence, and help his country to join the European Union and other Western organizations.

　

他在电视台通过翻译敦促支持者不要被暴力吓倒，推动马其顿加入欧洲联盟和其他西方组织。

"Do not be scared about your decision, and do not ignore your responsibility," said Gruevski. "You have the right to ask things for your country. You can be a patriot and be proud to enter the European Union."

　

他说：“不要害怕你们的决定，不要无视你们的责任。你们有权为了国家提出要求。你们可以是爱国主义者，同时可以自豪地加入欧盟。”

That opinion is shared by ethnic-Albanian opposition rival Ali Ahmedi, who says he recently survived an assassination attempt.

　

阿族反对派领袖阿曼迪也同意这个观点。阿曼迪最近刚刚躲过一次暗杀。

He told France 24 Television through an interpreter that he has urged supporters to vote, despite apparent threats.

　

他通过翻译告诉法国第24电视频道，敦促支持者尽管受到威胁，也要踊跃投票。

"This physical threats against the party, which were repeated, are meant to terrorize them not to vote," said Ahmedi. "The more people vote, the larger the distance will be between the two parties."

　

阿曼迪说：“这种对党的人身威胁，是希望吓阻人们不要去投票。但是，越多的人去投票，两党之间的差距就越大。”

Prime Minister Gruevski called the early parliamentary elections after failing to secure NATO membership for his country, which was blocked by Greece. It says Macedonia should first change its name, because it resembles one of Greece's provinces.

　

总理格鲁埃夫斯基在申请成为北约成员国失败后，要求提前举行议会选举。马其顿申请失败是因为希腊的阻挠。希腊表示，马其顿应该先改变名称，再来提出申请，因为希腊有一个省的名称很像马其顿。

If re-elected, Prime Minister Gruevski's government is likely to include a partner from the ethnic-Albanian parties. The European Union has warned Macedonia that political and ethnic stability in the country is crucial for its European future.

　

如果当选，总理格鲁埃夫斯基的政府可能包括一个来自阿尔巴尼亚族政党的夥伴。欧洲联盟警告马其顿，马其顿政治和族群的稳定对它在欧洲的未来至关重要。